Systematic Progression

Project Roadmap

The path toward reliable Sega Saturn emulation requires deliberate stage-by-stage verification. We avoid speculative shortcuts or premature compatibility claims, prioritizing clean execution handoffs between hardware subsystems.

NOTE:

Target dates are deliberately omitted. Only completed milestones reflect proven execution traces. The emulator does not yet naturally boot commercial titles such as Earthworm Jim 2 into interactive gameplay.

PHASE 01

Natural BIOS Startup

Booting the authentic European Sega Saturn retail BIOS and completing early machine initialization.

Active Focus: Master SH-2 execution and SMPC peripheral exchange validated.

completed

PHASE 02

Natural Get TOC & Disc Initialization

Allowing the BIOS CD initialization sequence to naturally query Table of Contents and negotiate disc readiness.

Active Focus: Currently resolving fine-grained timing synchronization between SH-2 and CD Block status registers.

in-progress

PHASE 03

First Real Disc-Sector Acquisition

Executing authentic BIOS commands to read the first physical disc sectors into guest sector buffers.

Active Focus: Low-level disc command routing is implemented; pending natural BIOS trigger point.

in-progress

PHASE 04

Initial Program (IP) Loading

Transferring sector data from CD buffer to Work RAM High (0x06000000) and preparing execution context.

planned

PHASE 05

Game Execution Handoff

BIOS security check passing and program counter transition to the commercial game entrypoint.

planned

PHASE 06

Video & Audio Pipeline Validation

VDP1 quadrilateral rendering, VDP2 plane compositing, and SCSP audio slot playback verification.

planned

PHASE 07

Playable Commercial Title Execution

Achieving interactive player input and sustained loop execution in initial target games (such as Earthworm Jim 2).

planned

PHASE 08

Compatibility Expansion

Broadening software library support across varied CD formats, multi-disc titles, and auxiliary memory cartridges.

planned

PHASE 09

Performance Optimization & JIT Research

Enhancing interpreter efficiency and researching dynamic binary translation targets for modern CPU architectures.

planned

PHASE 10

Developer Tools & Advanced Observability Suite

Headless testing harness, bus tracing, live memory inspectors, and disassembly debuggers.

planned